The Birds of Wyoming. 117 



they get must be considered waste grain. In the late, summer 

 they may damage grain in the shock, or stack; but in Wyo- 

 ming this has not been considered a serious matter. , Until 

 they are found in greater numbers and do a great deal more 

 damage there will be but few who consider, them enemies. F. 

 E. L. Beal (Bui. 13, U. S. D. Ag., Div. of Biol., pp. 51 and 52) 

 sums up the food habits of Brewer's Blackbird as follows : 



"In summing up the results of this investigation it must 

 be acknowledged that the stomachs examined are too few, and 

 are not distributed widely enough geographically, to justify a 

 final economic classification of the bird. Nevertheless some 

 very salient points seem to have been brought out, viz: (i) 

 No order of insects is especially sought except grasshoppers 

 (Orthoptera) , which constitute more than half of the animal 

 food; (2) more than 88 per cent of the vegetable food consists 

 of grain, which is eaten freely at all seasons, even when in- 

 sects are abundant; and (3) seeds of harmful weeds are eaten 

 sparingly. 



"In spite of this apparently discreditable record com- 

 plaints of this Blackbird have been fewer than of several other 

 species, while on the other hand, some observers speak highly of 

 it. Prof. A. J. Cook, of Claremont, Cal., says that he considers 

 it one of the most valuable species in that state. So far as 

 shown by field observation and stomach examination it does 

 not attack fruit, and this is an important point in a California 

 bird. Mr. J. F. Illingworth, of Ontario, Cal., in a paper read 

 before the Pomona Farmers' club, speaks of the species as a 

 beneficial one that should be protected. It is possible that the 

 large amount of grain found in the stomachs consists princi- 

 pally of gleanings from the harvested fields, corrals, and other 

 places ; but even if this be true, a bird with such a pronounced 

 taste for grain would, if abundant, always be a menace to rip- 

 ening crops." 



The Wyoming records are too numerous to include in this 

 bulletin. 



